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INSPIRATIONS 


BY 


JOHN  O.  COIT. 


SAN   FRANCISCO: 

THE  BANCROFT  COMPANY 
1894. 


INTRODUCTORY  POEM. 
Xife. 

BY  JAMES   R.    LOWELL. 

Life  is  a  sheet  of  paper  white 

Whereon  each  one  of  U8  may  write 

His  word  or  two— and  then  comes  night ! 

"  Lo,  time  and  space  enough,"  we  cry, 
"To  write  an  epic,"  so  we  try 
Our  nibs  upon  the  edge — and  die. 

Muse  not  which  way  the  pen  to  hold  ; 
Luck  hates  the  slow  and  loves  the  bold ; 
Soon  comes  the  darkness  and  the  cold. 

Greatly  begin  !    Though  thou  hast  time 
But  for  a  line  be  that  sublime  ; 
Not  failure,  but  low  aim,  is  crime. 


INSPIRATIONS. 
Hs  1be  Sees  JSest. 

He  sees  best,"  I  ask  no  more. 
\Vhy  should  I  pray  so  selfishly? 
Wilt  not  Thou,  Lord,  whom  I  adore, 
Make  all  things  best  for  all,  in  Thee? 

Written  in  the  Fall  of  1888. 


Romance. 

AOME  day  I'll  complete  my  romance 

If  God  wills;  it  may  be  so. 
If  I  may  not,  need  it  matter? 
"  Nothing  useless  is,  or  low." 

Written  July  15th,  1890. 


ZTbe  plainest  Hnswer. 

fi&  am  weary  !     I  am  weary  ! 

With  this  constant  questioning, 
With  these  doubtings,  these  reflections 
Knowing  not  what  time  will  bring. 

I  would  have  no  doubtful  answer 
To  these  questions  which  I  ask, 


INSPIRATIONS. 

Telling  rne  that  in  future 

May  be  shown  me  some  great  task. 

I  would  know  what  I  should  do  now, 
Would  be  sure  which  way  to  go; 

Would  not  leave  undone  the  labors 
Which  are  mine,  while  here  below  ! 

In  this  world,  the  plainest  answer 

Seems  to  be,  "  Go,  labor  on 
As  you  choose  !  "     But  in  the  spirit 

"  Even  so,  Thy  Will  be  done." 

So,  to  still  my  heart's  emotions, 
And  to  keep  myself  content, 

I  make  answer  to  my  spirit, 
"  Labor  on,  spend  and  be  spent !  " 

Choose  your  work  !     Put  thou  into  it 
All  the  good  there  is  in  you  ! 

And  remember,  o'er  all,  through  all 
Worketh  God,  the  ever-true  ! 

We  are  but  God's  agents,  truly 
We  should  live,  as  He  desires, 

Not  in  coldness,  not  unduly, 

But  as  "  touched  "  by  heavenly  fires. 

"  Duty  "  is  a  cold  word:  surely 
He  who  suffers,  he  who  sings 


INSPIKATIONS. 

"  To  win  men  "  may  labor  purely 
Out  of  love  for  men,  and  "  things  !  " 

Let  us  always  labor  gladly, 
Ne'er  despairing,  ever  strong, 

Till  our  "  sighs  are  lost  in  singing," 
Till  we  join  the  holy  throng. 

"  Face  to  face  "  with  God,  the  Father, 
Fully  pardoned,  fully  blest, 

Taken  Home  with  Him,  forever, 
There  enjoying  perfect  rest. 

Written  October  16th,  1890. 


ffaitb. 

makes  real  the  heavenly  mead- 
ows, 

Cheers  us  'mid  these  earthly  shadows 
Telling  us  of  that  blest  country 

Where  men  neither  sin  nor  die. 
Where,  beyond  the  sight  of  mortals 
Stand  those  heavenly,  pearly  portals, 
Which  we  see  not,  but  believing 
We  shall  enter,  bye-and-bye. 

When  the  silence  seems  unbroken, 
When  to  us  no  word  is  spoken, 


INSPIRATIONS. 

When  our  souls  most  miss  that  music 

Which  delighted  us,  erewhile  ; 
We  should  watch,  and  wait,  and  listen, 
Soon  the  darkening  night  will  glisten 
With  the  shining  of  His  Presence, 
Where  the  angel-faces  smile, 

Soon  for  us  this  world's  employments, 
Joys  and  sorrows,  disappointments, — 
All  will  cease.  Beyond  its  knowledge 

We  shall  be,  forevermore. 
Then,  forgiven,  blessed,  loving 
We  would  live  forever,  moving 
Only  as  He  wills,  rejoicing 

la  His  service,  evermore  ! 

Even  here,  forgiven,  loving, 
We  may  gladly  live,  removing 
From  our  souls  the  ache  of  sorrow 

By  our  faith  in  truth  Divine. 
Though  the  chords  be  rudely  broken, 
Though  we  leave  those  words  unspoken 
Which  to  us  seem  right  and  needed, — 

Father,  fit  our  wills  to  Thine  ! 

We  believe  Thy  times  and  seasons 
Do  not  come  for  narrow  reasons, 


INSPIRATIONS. 

But  are  "  set,"  as  Thou  appointest, 

Therefore  can  be  only  good. 
Through  our  spirits,  by  Thy  teaching, 
Blessings  wondrous,  great,  far-reaching, 
Come  to  us,  if  we  but  follow 

Through  the  darkness.   This  we  would  ! 

Writteu  October  26th,  1890. 


Xives. 

gjJHOUGH   thy  dearest  friend   forsake 
thee. 

Though  the  one  you  trusted  fall ; 
Still  bcliere,  in  heaven,  above  us, 

God  lives  (and  He  reigns  o'er  all). 

Written  November  30th,  1890. 

TTbrouflb  tbe  H>avfeness. 

us  follow  through  the  darkness, 
Though  our  way  seem  sad  and  lone  ; 
For  we  know  that  our  great  Father 
Ever  makes  our  cares  His  own. 

Not  in  vain  does  he  afflict  us, 

Not  for  naught  does  He  cause  pain  ; 

But  through  sorrow,  sin  and  pleasure 
Tells  us  we  shall  live  again. 


10  INSPIRATIONS. 

Though  our  plans  are  often  thwarted, 
Though  both  brain  and  body  fail, 

Though  the  best  which  we  can  muster 
Often  seems  of  no  avail. 

Though  instead  of  climbing  upward 

We  continually  fall, 
Let  us  follow  through  the  darkness 

Till  we  hear  that  welcome  call ; — 

Telling  us  that  though  unworthy, 

(Oft  in  folly,  oft  in  sin), 
God  forgives  us,  loves  us,  takes  us 

Where  no  evil  enters  in. 

Not  because  our  lives  are  perfect, 
Not  because  our  acts  are  great, 

But  because  through  all  temptations 
We  have  tried  to  love,  not  hate. 

Tried  to  fit  our  earthly  service 
To  the  truth,  have  tried  to  rise 

O'er  "  the  world,  the  flesh,  the  devil" 
Toward  the  "  mansions  "  in  the  skies. 

Oft  they  seern  so  far  above  us, 
Oft  the  truth  so  doubtful  seems 

We  are  tempted  to  consider 
Even  God  a  thing  of  dreams. 


INSPIRATIONS.  11 

Yet  our  faith  o'errules  these  doubtings, 

Yet  we  follow,  trusting  God; 
Yet  we  sin  and  yet  we  suffer, 

'Neath  a  necessary  "rod." 

Through  that  "  rod  "  God  rules  the  future. 

We  would  follow,  we  would  trust 
Through  the  shadow s,  through  the  sun- 
shine, 

Till  our  bodies  turn  to  dust. 

Then  our  spirits,  free  from  suffering. 
Freed  from  sinning,  free  from  pain, 

Will  be  taken  Home  forever, 
Nevermore  to  sin  again. 

"Nevermore  to  sin  again."  Nevermore  to  be  untrue  to 
that  within  our  control  which  is  best!  Nevermore  to  be  in 
mal-adjustment  with  that  which  becomes  ours !  Never- 
more to  be  discontented  with  that  which  we  are  allowed ! 
Satisfied  hereafter.  No  more  loneliness,  nor  vanity,  nor 
vexation  of  spirit.  Perfect,  there !  Continually  developing, 
here,  that  within  our  control  which  is  better.  (')  "  Casting 
out  "  the  worse,  that  which  is  beneath  our  privilege. 

(1)  that  which  is  truer  and  yet  more  true,  and  trusting 
God  to  complete. 


12  INSPIRATIONS. 


the  present  full  of  sorrow  ? 

Look  beyond  ! 
Do  you  dread  the  coming  morrow  ? 

Look  beyond  ! 

We  believe  our  God  doth  guard  us, 
In  His  ways  He  will  reward  us, 
Nothing  can  from  Him  retard  us, 

Further  on. 

Retard,  i.  e.,  to  continue  to  hinder.  After  death  there 
will  be  no  hindrances  to  our  communion  with  God  —  no 
evil  thoughts,  "no  veil  of  flesh,"  no  sin.  There  and  then 
we  shall  be  "  where  no  evil  enters  in."  What  if  we  do  not 
go,  literally,  to  "a  city  "  or  "  a  country?  "  We  are  assured 
of  a  life  beyond,  and  "  more  life  "  is  what  we  desire,  both 
here  and  beyond.  The  place  is  comparatively  unimportant. 
This  world  itself  is  surely  fair  enough  —  pleasant  enough, 
if  only  humanity  were  better  adjusted.  It  is  "  the  life  " 
which  Is  the.  important  thing  with  each  one  of  us. 

"  The  life,"  yes,  "  the  Spirit  life,"  "the  intellectual  life," 
the  man-life,  and  the  God-life  (superior  to  the  brute  life, 
the  mere  animal  life  which  may  lead),  using  "the  animal," 
"the  natural,"  "the  human,"  as  means  to  ends  —  higher 
ends  than  those  of  present  appearances,  but  not  being 
either  blinded,  absorbed  or  debased  by  these  lesser,  lower, 
grosser  influences. 


INSPIRATIONS.  13 

Self. 

not  shrink  from  present  suffering  ! 
Let  not  self  thine  idol  be. 
Further  on  will  come  thy  resting 
At  the  end  the  King  thou'lt  see. 

Now's  the  time  for  earnest  labor, 
Now's  the  time  to  conquer  pain  ! 

Working  through  self  for  thy  neighbor, 
Win  and  lose  for  others'  gain. 

Never  let  thyself  be  foremost 
In  thine  head  or  in  thine  heart  ; 

Rather  call  yourself  an  actor 
Destined  only  for  its  part. 

"  Overcome  "  and  "  win  "  as  may  be, 

Keeping  self  in  its  own  place  ; 
Not  too  high,  and  not  too  humble, 

Following  till  you  see  His  Face  ! 

Sinful  man  may  not  now  see  it, 

But  if  he  in  truth  believe, 
Later  will  there  come  that  blessing 

Which  the  pure  in  heart  receive. 

That  "  vision  "  given  to  those  who  "  shall  see  God,"  to 
those  who  "  then  shall  see  Thee,  and  be  satisfied." 
Written  October  ISth,  1891. 


14  INSriKATIONS. 


Uowarfc  tbe 

end  is  coming.     I  am  going, 
Going,  going,  past  "the  bar," 
Soon  I'll  be  where  there  is  knowing, 
Where  the  "  many  mansions  are." 

Here  we  watch,  and  wait  and  wonder, 

Here  we  question,  oft  alone  ; 
But  beyond  in  that  blest  "  yonder," 

"  We  shall  know  as  we  are  known." 

God  grant  that  whater'e  befall  us 
Patiently  our  "  threads  "  we  weave  ; 

Through  the  life  which  most  does  "  call  " 

us, 
As  we  can  and  do  believe. 

Not  only  patiently,  but  also  cheerfully,  hopefully  and 
with  zest.  If  we  would  lead  others  to  believe  in  that  which 
we  believe  to  be  better  than  life,  our  persuasion,  should  be 
more  than  half-hearted  ! 

"Enthusiasm  is  the  genius  of  sincerity,  and  truth  accom- 
plishes no  victory  without  it."  —  Bulwer. 

Written  December,  1891. 


INSPIRATIONS.  15 

Blvin  TKIiellfanfe. 

(Lost  from  a  Ferry-boat  through  Criminal  Negligence.) 

@JWAS  early  in  March  in  '92 

Crossing  the  San  Francisco  Bay, 

The  air  was  clear,  the  sun  was  bright; 

Smooth  as  a  mill-pond  the  water  lay. 

All  seemed  happy,  all  seemed  good, 
Nothing  to  indicate  "all's  not  well," 

Save  the  tight  lashings  upon  the  boats, 
That  Sunday  noon,  on  the  San  Rafael. 

But  listen !   A  splash  and  then  a  scream. 

"Man  overboard,"  the  people  cry. 
We  on  the  upper  deck  rush  to  the  side. 

"Will  he  come  up  again  ?"    " Must  he 
die  ?" 

We  see  a  head.     It  moves  ;  he  swims 
Bravely  and  gallantly,  steadily,  well. 

But,  oh  !    The  lashings  upon  those  boats, 
That  Sunday  noon,  on  the  San  Rafael. 

Newly  painted,  spick  and  span, 
Neat  and  attractive,  but  fatal  to  life 

Those  lashings  hold  the  boats  in  their 

place 
So  tight  that  vain  is  the  hurried  strife, 


16  INSPIRATIONS. 

For  ere  they  are  loosened  we  see  no  more 
That  head  above  the  gentle  swell. 

Those  fatal  lashings  have  cost  a  life, 
That  Sunday  noon,  on  the  San  Rafael. 

Written  in  Sept.,  '92,  on  a  train,  neariug  Sacramento. 


Encouragement 

^  feel  myself  uplifted,  I  see  before  me 

rise 
Mountains  with  lofty  summits,  towering 

to  the  skies. 
I  see  below  a  valley  of  beauteous  slope 

and  green, 
But  just  where  it  is  fairest,  a  fissure  wide 

is  seen, 
Left  by  some  mighty  earthquake,  a  chasm 

deep  and  vast 
Such  as  the  sons  of  Korah  beheld  in  ages 

past. 
Why  should   I  think  thus  clearly,  why 

should  this  sight  be  seen 
By  my  imagination;  what  can  this  vision 

mean? 
Is  it  a  truthful  prophecy,  is  thu?  to  yawn 

at  last 


INSPIRATIONS.  17 

Before   me  in  life's  valley  some  chasm 

deep  and  vast, 
Some  widely  stretching  chasm,  a  grave  to 

all  my  hopes, 
At  which  I  stop  half-blinded,  as  one  in 

darkness  gropes, 
Xo   light   beyond   that   chasm,   no  hope 

beyond  this  earth 
Where  hopes  so  often  vanish  and  leave 

of  joy  such  dearth? 
We  hope  not.     Oh  !  we  pray  not. 
We  live,  we  strugle  on, 
Determined  that  in  conflict  the  best  shall 

soon  be  won. 
Perhaps   not  soon  in  minutes,  perhaps 

not  soon  in  years, 
But   "in  the  time  appointed,"  perhaps 

through  many  fears, 
Yet  toward  that  we  will  follow,  ev'n  to 

the  setting  sun, 
Until  the   night  has  fallen,    until    the 

crown  is  won. 

What  though  our  light  seem  fading, 
What  though  the  shadows  fall? 
God  reigns,  His  love  is  o'er  us 
And  in,  and  through  life's  all. 


18  INSPIRATIONS. 

So  be  thou  strong,  my  brother,  and  give 

no  place  to  fears; 
Instead,    make    use     of    courage,     and 

strength  which  lives  for  years. 
That  strength  of  life  and  purpose  which 

meets  and  conquers  pain, 
Which  though  it  often  suffers  still  hopes 

and  lives  again. 
Which    rises    from    the     valley,    which 

clambers  up  the  steep, 
Which  ever  toward  the  summit  its  way 

doth  constant  keep. 
Which  never  stops   to    linger  amid  the 

dust  of  earth 
To  look  for    "ends,"  but  through   these 

"means  "  insists  on  freedom's  birth, 
And   seeks  the  truth   in   romance,  and 

seeks  the  truth  in  life. 
Which  uses  creeds  as  watchwords,  not  as 

"  a  bond  "  in  strife. 
Which  seeks  true  inspiration,  the  gift  of 

inspired  thought, 
To  benefit  its  fellow-men,  but  never  to  be 

bought. 

Which  does  not  dull  by  usage, 
But  all  along  its  way 


INSPIRATIONS.  19 

Still    gathers    truth    and   beauty,    and 

strength  for  every  day. 
Strength  to  be  used  continually,  not  to 

be  spent  in  vain, 

But  used  to  benefit  someone,  somehow, 
Wherever  there  is  pain, 
Wherever  there  is  sorrow,  wherever  there 

is  woe. 

Go  forth,  strong  one,  lift  up  the  weak, 
Ev'n  if  he  seem  a  foe  ! 
Become   a    Good    Samaritan,   pity    thy 

brother's  needs. 
Sacrifice   self,   love    everyone,    be  little 

bound  by  creeds. 
Devote  thy  life  to  something  beyond  the 

present  hour, 
Great    purposes,    great    benefits,    dark 

though  the  storm-clouds  lower. 
Beyond  that  storm  lies  heaven,  perhaps 

not  far  away, 
Beyond  the  darkness  lives  the  sun  of  an 

eternal  day. 
Thy  foot-path  may  seem  narrow,  weary 

may  be  thy  feet, 
Yet  surely   unto  others   it   will   appear 

more  meet 


20  INSPIRATIONS. 

If  thou  treads't  thy  path  bravely,  if  thou 

the  summit  gain, 
If  thou  refuse  to  linger,  to  grieve  o'er 

thine  own  pain. 

Instead  look  upward,  homeward, 
Instead  live  toward  the  Light, 
It's  coming  !     Yes  !    It's  coming  ! 
The  East  is  growing  bright  with  promise 

of  great  freedom, 
Great  truths  almost  in  view  ! 
What  part  wilt  thou  take,  brother,   in 

this,  the  gospel  new 
Of  freedom  to  all  nations,  of  freedom  not 

in  vain, 
Freedom  from  superstition  and  ignorance 

and  pain? 
This  is  the  age  of  knowledge,  this  is  the 

age  of  health. 
The  age  of  many  millions  of  consecrated 

wealth 
Devoted  to  man's  benefit  in  hospitals  and 

schools, 
To  open  wide  the  doorways,  outside  all 

narrow  rules, 
To  treat  man  as  a  brother,  to  soothe  away 

his  pain 


INSPIRATIONS.  21 

Of  body,  and  that  sadder  sight,  the  sight 

of  mental  strain 
And  agonizing  worry — that  anxiousness 

of  strife 
Which  often   deeply    injures    the    very 

founts  of  life, 
Which   fairly   wears   the   heart    out    of 

many  a  mother — a  strain 
Which  often  tires  tthe  body,  and  more 

than  tires  the  brain 
Of  many  a  loving  husband  who  fears  that 

wife  or  child 
Will  suffer  if  he  falter  or  faint  amid  this 

wild  race  after  money,  money 

Thank  God  that  in  life's  sum 

This  money  makes  not  half  the  whole  ! 

Thank  God  the  day  will  come 
Before  long  when  this  conflict  will  not  be 

half  so  hard, 
Then  gates  of  earthly  happiness  will  be 

less  closely  barred. 
Then  "  things  "  will  be  "  adjusted," 
Let's  hasten  on  that  day, 
And  toward  it,  to  it,  for  it, 
Both  work  and  give  and  pray  ! 

Written  January  13th,  1893. 


22  INSPIRATIONS. 


1UST  at  the  edge  of  the  valley 
®     Where  the  light  is  growing  dim, 
I  see  a  figure  standing, 
Above  those  shadows  griui. 

A  woman's  graceful  figure, 

I  see  her  turn  her  head, 
And  as  I  listen  closely 

It  seems  as  though  she  said  : 

"  I'm  coming.     Yes  !     I'm  coming, 

Led  by  affection  true, 
To  you  who  long  have  waited 

For  me  to  come  to  you. 

"  Forbidden  by  your  business 

From  coming  unto  rne, 
Yet  still  you  wait  and  listen 

And  forward  look  to  see 

"  If  ever  your  '  heart's  darling  ' 

In  life  will  find  a  place  ; 
If  ever  to  her  city 

Your  feet  their  way  will  trace. 

"  Now  look  and  wait  no  longer, 
For  I  am -here,  at  last, 


INSPIRATIONS.  23 

Now  watching,  waiting,  longing 
And  sadness,  all  have  past. 

"  I'll  comfort  you  in  sorrow, 

Walk  with  you  in  all  woe. 
And  ever  upward,  onward 

Together  we  will  go. 

"  No  more  shall  we  be  lonely 
Though  life  few  friends  may  yield. 

Together  we  will  wander 

Through  wood,  and  lane  and  field. 

"  To  each  we  will  be  helpful, 

For  each  we  will  be  strong, 
And  make  of  life  a  melody, 

A  crowning  wreath  of  song. 

"  Because  we  shall  be  happy, 

Because  we  shall  be  glad, 
Our  lives  will  be  all  sunshine, 

No  more  can  we  be  sad 

a  When  hand  in  hand  together, 

We  clamber  up  life's  steep. 
What  though  the  path  be  rugged  ? 

What  though  some  streams  be  deep  ? 

"  Shall  we  not  be  together, 
Together  in  the  sense 


24  INSPIRATIONS. 

Of  sympathizing  closely, 
Whether  in  strife  intense, 

"  Or  resting  by  a  brookside  ; 

Whether  upon  a  hill 
We  struggle  slowly  upward, 

Or  dream  beside  a  rill  ? 

"  Whatever  our  experience 
We'll  suit  each  other's  needs 

As  best  we  can,  and  sympathize 
With  all  one's  thoughts  and  deeds 

"  Whether  our  efforts  seem  in  vain 

Or  if  they  richly  yield 
A  harvest  of  great  honor, 

Whether  the  battle-field 

"  On  which  we  '  win '  be  one  of  fame 

Or  whether  it  be  one 
On  which  no  honors  can  be  seen 

Ev'n  till  the  setting  sun. 

"  Yet  we  shall  be  together 
Ev'n  till  that  close  of  day, 

And  when  it  comes  we'll  only  ask 
For  strength  to  truly  pray 

"  '  Thy  will  be  done,'  Our  Father, 
For  Thou  dost  know  the  end. 


INSPIRATIONS.  25 

Thou  art  in  all.     We  cannot  see 
Why  Thou  this  fate  did  send. 

"  But  we  believe  Thou  sent  it, 

And  Thou  art  only  good  ; 
Therefore,  although  we  cannot 

Have  that  we  so  much  would — 

"  Yet  we  can  still  be  patient 

Until  our  own  life's  end, 
Can  benefit  someone,  somehow, 

Can  still  our  strength  expend. 

"  For  others,  though  that  strength  soon 
fail, 

Soon  leaves  us  without  power, 
And  lay  us  low  on  beds  of  pain 

For  many  a  weary  hour. 

"Yet  we  can  still  be  hopeful, 

And  ever  grow  more  fond 
Of  truth,  and  look  for  it 

Ev'n  in  the  Great  Beyond." 

Written  January  23d,  1893,  at  office,  during  part  of  a 
hot  afternoon,  and  finished  at  midnight,  three  days 
later. 


26  INSPIRATIONS. 

Matting. 

C«AGERLY  scanning  the  future, 

Looking  for  some  "  work  "  to  do  ; 
Something  which  truly  is  worthy, 
Something  he  never  will  rue. 

Not  for  his  own  satisfaction, 
Not  for  his  pleasure  or  gain, 

But  for  the  good  of  the  public 
And  for  their  freedom  from  pain. 

These  are  the  thoughts  of  his  spirit, 

These  the  desires  of  his  life  ; 
Tempting  him  often  to  "  efforts," 
Tempting  him  often  to  strife. 

Yet  to  this  day  all  his  searching 
Toward  this  effecting  of  good, 

Toward  this  sufficient  attainment, 
Toward  that  he  so  much  would  ! 

Often  has  seemed  but  "  a  vision," 
Often  has  seemed  "  all  in  vain," 

Often  has  brought  but  disaster, 
Often  has  increased  "  the  pain." 

Yet  he  moves  steadily  "  onward," 
Whether  this  vision  seem  bright, 


INSPIRATIONS.  27 

Or  if  it  seem  a  dark  shadow, 
Promising  nothing  but  "  night." 

For  he  believes  in  "  the  morning  !  " 
"Yonder,"  "beyond,"  "o'er  the  grave," 

Lasting,  eternal,  "  triumphant," 
At  "  the  last  break  of  the  wave." 

Writteu  October  23, 1893,  et  seq. 


uC)A.Y  by  day,"  the  message  readeth, 
Day  by  day  the  pathway  gleams  ; 
Yet  too  soon  the  "  vision  "  speedeth, 
Till  our  "  calling  "  only  "  seems." 

Not  by  broad  or  gilded  stairways 
Is  "  the  mount  of  vision  "  won  ; 

But  by  steep  and  narrow  footpaths 
Till  our  journey's  almost  done. 

Then  we  look  for  some  expansion, 

Some  enlargement  of  our  view — 
True  enjoyment  of  life's  pleasures — 
Something  grander  yet  to  do. 

Even  though  we're  often  thwarted 
In  our  efforts  toward  the  good  ; 


2S  INSPIRATIONS. 

Even  though  through  many  "  seasons  " 
We  gain  little  which  we  ivould. 

Onward  still  !     Let  not  earth's  pleasures 
Gain  too  large  a  hold  on  thee, 

For  beyond,  above  all  "  treasures" 
Is  thy  soul's  good,  endlessly. 

In  this  life  we  often  suffer, 
Often  seem  to  work  in  vain, 

But  we're  told,  "  the  greater  anguish 
Makes,  indeed,  the  sweeter  strain." 

Is  this  true  ?     It  is,  most  surely  ! 

'Tis  a  necessary  "  way." 
Only  thus  the  truth,  most  purely, 

Can  be  found  amid  our  "  day." 

Otherwise,  we  oft  would  care  not. 
Oft  would  be  content  to  live 

Like  the  cattle,  only  looking 
For  such  joys  as  earth  can  give. 

But,  instead,  our  loving  Father 
Fills  us  with  divine  desires, 

Teaches  us  that  o'er  life's  valley 
Ever  burn  the  heavenly  fires. 

Through  "life's  pleasures,"  upward,  Home- 
ward, 


INSPIRATIONS.  29 

We  would  "  follow,"  toward  The  Light, 
"Apprehending,"  "  gaining,"  "  losing," 
Till  our  faith  shall  end  in  sight. 

Then,  beyond  earth's  passing  portals 
We  would  live  in  Heaven's  pure  Home, 

Free  from  sin,  and  freed  from  suffering, 
Nevermore  abroad  to  roam. 

But,  instead,  in  that  blest  hallway 

Where  the  pure  in  heart  abide, 
We  would  live  in  freedom,  alway, — 

Free    from    "  time "    and    free    from 
"tide." 

Written  April  5th,  1894,  during  a  few  minutes    while 
waiting  for  dinner. 


UCSB  LIBRARY 


A     000  590  792     8 


